Volleyball Opens Home Schedule Against VT and ODU on Thursday and Saturday

ROCK HILL, S.C. — The Winthrop University volleyball team opens its home season with the Winthrop Invitational, welcoming Virginia Tech and Old Dominion for matches on Thursday and Saturday. 

FIRST SERVE 

• Winthrop swept the Hokies the last time they met on the court, but split the Home-and-Home series with them in 2024 after taking them to five sets in Blacksburg
• The first ever meeting between Winthrop and VT came in 1982, when the Hokies took down the Eagles two sets to one
• The Eagles are facing off against Old Dominion for the first time in program history on Saturday
• Paige Bennett and Addison Torain were named to the Wildcat Classic All-Tournament team this past weekend
• Bennett collected 35 kills in the two matches, hitting at a clip of .244. Bennett led the Big South in Kills per Set at 4.38 and Points per Set at 4.81 for the week of Aug. 31
• Torain took over Libero responsibilities this season, digging out 36 balls in the eight sets played, also setting a new career-high with six assists against Davidson
• Torain was tied for third in the Big South for Digs per Set with 4.50 in the week of Aug. 31
• Bennett set a new career-high against Davidson on Friday with 22 kills on a career-high 55 attacks with 12 digs in the five-set match, she also set her former career-high last season in the opening weekend
• The Eagles ended the week with two losses after falling to Wofford in straight sets, the third straight time the Eagles have lost to the Terriers on a neutral court
• Winthrop opened their season against the same opponent as they did last year, this time on the other side of a five-set decision to Davidson
• Paige Bennett was named to the Big South Conference Preseason All-Conference Team
• Winthrop opens the year as ranked as preseason number two in the 2026 Big South preseason poll
• This marks the fourth-straight year that the Eagles have earned at least one first-place vote, and four straight years of having a member on the Preseason All-Conference Team.
• Head Coach Heather Gearhart returns for her fifth season at the helm of the Eagles
• Winthrop finished last season with an 18-7 record, holding a 12-2 mark in Big South play, earning the top seed for the first time since 2019.
• Gearhart has held a 48-10 record in her four seasons at the helm in Big South play.
• Gearhart was also tabbed as the AVCA Southeast Region Coach of the Year last season, becoming the first AVCA Region Coach of the Year in Winthrop History, and only the second ever in the Big South, the first to do so since Tom Mendoza of High Point in 2017.
• Winthrop returns six of the eight players that played 70 or more sets for them last season
• The Eagles return 59.56% of their kills from last season, led by Paige Bennett
• Bennett was named to the Big South Conference All-Conference Second Team last season
• Teagan Sychterz returns after playing every set for the Eagles last year (101), and being named to the Big South Conference All-Conference Second Team last season
• Sychterz led the Eagles in total blocks last season with 82
• Giselle Little also returns for her junior season after leading the Eagles in hitting percentage, 0.299
• Little was also an All-Conference Honorable Mention last year, playing in all but one set (100)
• Addison Torrain wrapped up her freshman campaign playing in every set for the Eagles as a true freshman, earning her spot on the Big South Conference All-Freshman Team
• Laila Glover also returns for her senior season, after playing in 87 sets and being one of the six Eagles with 100+ kills (161)
• Last season, the Eagles ranked 21st in the NCAA in digs per set with a mark of 16.48
• They also were top ranked in the Big South in assists per set and kills per set, 12.38 and 13.56
• The Eagles lost their leaders in the categories of kills, (Avery Jolley, 380), assists, (Rachel McCollum, 785) and digs, (Sophia Matthews, 410)
• Winthrop also loses 95.6% of their assists last season, with Lexi Thatcher now stepping into the setter duties
• Thatcher transferred in from Samford after her sophomore year, leading the SoCon in assists per set that year and starting every match in her sophomore campaign
• The Eagles also lose 61% of their digs from last season, with the only two returners over 100 digs being Torrain and Bennett
• The Eagles have made the Big South postseason tournament for the last eight years
• Winthrop has six conference titles, tied for second most in Big South history and tied for the most of all active Big South members (Tied with Radford)
• This is the 55th season of Eagle Volleyball, with these matches being the 1860th and 1861st

2026 HONORS

• Paige Bennett
  • Big South Conference Preseason All-Conference Team
  • Wildcat Classic All-Tournament Team
• Addison Torain
  • Wildcat Classic All-Tournament Team

WINTHROP IMPACT NETWORK

Winthrop Athletics is proud to announce the launch of WIN: Winthrop’s Impact Network- a distinguished philanthropic giving society established to support and elevate Winthrop’s 16 NCAA Division I programs and nearly 300 student-athletes.
In the new era of college athletics, it is critical now more than ever to generate revenue to provide Winthrop student-athletes with the resources and opportunities needed to compete for Big South championships and advance in the NCAA tournament. Winthrop’s Impact Network members will have an elite level of direct impact on the future of Winthrop Athletics. For more information, click here.

JOIN THE EAGLE CLUB

The Eagle Club is the official fundraising arm of Winthrop Athletics. Your generosity directly supports Winthrop Athletics and helps provide our student-athletes with the resources they need to succeed on and off the field. From facility upgrades and enhanced game-day experiences to scholarships, equipment, travel, and academic support, every dollar makes a difference.
By investing in the Eagle Club, you’re helping us build a stronger future for Winthrop Athletics—one that prioritizes excellence, opportunity, and a championship culture.
Whether you’re an alum, parent, fan, or community member, your support fuels our success. For more information or to become a member, CLICK HERE.

Story courtesy of Winthrop Athletics.